Existing toys use flexible material laid on the ground and covered with a thin layer of water to decrease friction in order to enable people to slide across the material. There are various means for attaching the material to the ground and for supplying a more or less constant layer of water onto the upper surface of the material. Relevant considerations of the toy and recreational industry also include providing a safe product, a means for attaching the sheet firmly to the ground and a constant layer of water on the sheet.
The "Wet Banana" (TM) slide manufactured by Koki, Inc., is one example of such prior art. It has a rectangular plastic sheet, metal brackets to attach the plastic sheet to the ground, and a "Banana" sprinkler that is curved and has water emission holes positioned along the curves so that the water spray covers an area of the plastic sheet.
Another example of the prior art is the "Wham-O Slip n`Slide", as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,982,547. This slide includes a plastic sheet, means for attaching the sheet to the ground, and a sprinkler that is part of the sheet and is formed by a perforated tube positioned lengthwise along at least one of the edges of the sheet. A garden hose is connected to the sprinkler. On the top side of the sheet, a plurality of holes are punched into the tube to provide for water emission from the tube onto the sheet.
Still another prior art device is the Wet`n`Wacky (TM) water slide produced by Marchon, Inc., the common assignee of the present invention. That device includes a rectangular sheet of flexible material fastened at each corner to the ground by plastic staple-like stake members. A unique sprinkler nozzle is encased in a stylized animal head, or the like, for spreading water over the sheet and for providing a semi-flexible covering for the nozzle means. The water emanates from the spray head via a specially designed sprayer that generates a continuous fan of water across the surface of the slide.